I had heard the phone call. I’d gotten home a few minutes early from my shift that night, something that never happened. But that evening I knew Michael was at his grandparents for the night, and I was only in the office because we had an execution scheduled the next day. Just so things were in order, nobody would care if I left. I didn’t talk to anybody, I just left.

I had parked the car in the driveway and crept in quietly through the back door. I had a bottle of wine in one hand and flowers...